Sarah Remesch (VIRIDE), Cannabis Entrepreneur Extraordinaire

I work with cannabis and have done some wild things in life. cocktailwhisperer.com

Sarah Remesch

Photo credit: Viride

Sarah is not your typical cannabis entrepreneur. She is brimming with excitement and wants to share her own personal story of how she got into this business and the way of cannabis- and why now? But first the Viride Geopipe, which is how this article got started in the first place. The Viride Geopipe is made of heavy stoneware and is shaped like a crystal, a geode. Geodes offer good energy and healing, certainly the basis for the healing uses of cannabis, which Sarah is certainly exemplifying in her life. In short, this is a very intellectual individual working in a new market as an entrepreneur. And the Viride Geopipe is the healing tool that brought me to meet Sarah. I saw it out on the web- searched and found this brilliant person... Sarah Remesch, living- right here in NYC!

The pipe that got my attention!

Photo: Viride

So I asked her if she would like to answer some interesting questions, not the usual ones- certainly unlike any interview she's ever been asked to do! One that will... quite literally change the world as we know it.

Viride

Viride

Sarah Remesch, founder of 270M & Managing Editor of Viride

Sarah Remesch is a digital marketer, advertiser, and creative who started her career developing strategies, executing campaigns, and managing production. After her experience in-house at globally recognized agencies, Sarah founded 270M, a boutique creative and digital marketing shop which focuses on luxury and cannabis brands. As 270M expanded into the cannabis space, Viride came to fruition to live as a content hub for brands to connect with an affluent audience of consumers. Her combined background in big media with her bespoke approach to creative development has allowed Sarah to continually morph as a digital professional in an ever changing landscape.

Her recent work can be seen in the art direction and photo production of products like Cannador, MagicalButter, NugTools and DaVinci, as well as social media strategy for OLO.

Forbes: Where are you from? Born/raised? What did you do before moving to NYC?

SR: I’m born and raised in a small town called Chagrin Falls, about 30-minutes from downtown Cleveland, Ohio. I moved to New York in 2012 to pursue my Master’s Degree at The New School. Before my move, I lived in Southwest Florida where I was a public relations and social media consultant while also attending college. Many days, I miss the sunshine and short drive to the beach, but New York is my home now and I know I wouldn’t be the person I am today if I were anywhere else.

Forbes: What does the top end of the cannabis business look like to you? What is your inspiration for being in the greatest city in the world (NYC of course!), instead of SF or La La. Or Las Vegas or Seattle or Portland, Oregon? (All legal cities for Cannabis)

SR: Exhilarating and promising. The high-end market is a place for discreet professionals, soccer moms, and affluent consumers to feel that cannabis is just as much an everyday commodity as a glass of fumé. The luxury marketplace is also helping to normalize cannabis because of the nature of the conversation. Consumers on the top end don’t want to be stereotyped as “stoners” or “potheads,” therefore willing to spend more for products that fit with their lifestyle. Cannabis, to me, is a long run industry. It would be quicker and convenient for me to be in a recreationally legal state, but I am very dedicated to forming an East Coast community instead. It’s invigorating to be part of this movement and meet other like minded individuals who are doing the same. I am confident, at the end of the day, the available resources and hustle of NYC is going to pay-off for my businesses. Don’t get me wrong, I relish in a Vegas or LA trip any chance I get, but New York is home and it’s where I want cannabis to grow for the people who have waited too long for an equal chance at being consumers, both recreationally and medicinally.

Forbes: Do you cook? (who has the time, I know- with all the great restaurants in NYC) If you do cook, who taught you? Mother? Father? Grandparents? Is there anything that brings a tear to your eye when you eat/drink it? Why?

SR: I do, which makes me an oddball living in Manhattan. I find cooking to be very relaxing and centering. I grew up in an Italian-German household with strong Italian traditions. There is always too much food on the table, no one is ever eating enough according to the cook, and it’s typically so loud you can barely hear yourself think. All of my grandparents passed either before I was born or very early on in my life, but two men influenced my passion for cooking— my late uncle and my father. Growing up in a household with two working parents, I spent my days with my uncle and he cooked anything you could image, but I especially loved his desserts. He always let me in the kitchen with him and I remember watching how he cooked, measuring with his hands and sampling as he went. My dad was the cook at home and I was always in the kitchen with him, most of the time picking at what he was chopping up, which drives him crazy, but I learned most of what I know from him. Everyone asks me what my favorite thing he makes is and it’s tough but his sauce never gets old. It’s always been the exact same, I can smell it a mile away, and I haven't mastered the recipe (or should I say concoction) that makes it taste like home every single time. It’s my comfort food and having that comfort when you’ve been away from home for some time is emotional and irreplaceable.

Forbes: Tell me about what you do? I’m so happy to share the Viride pipe in this q&a. What is your inspiration with this piece? It’s quite distinctive- Craftsman-style/Stickley comes to mind in the design. And the V’s on the top- intentional?

SR: I’m a media professional, I spend the majority of my days strategizing ways for my clients to leverage the internet to market their products. That can range from advertising campaigns to photo production. Three years ago, I decided to move my agency, 270M, into the cannabis space to leverage my skill set as a service for businesses in the industry. I have a diverse background, but my favorite clients were always in the wine and spirits space and cannabis is very similar in nature. I knew I wanted to develop an ancillary product to support Viride that I could do in partnership with a female maker and saw what Ariel from Stonedware was creating, which was an ideal partnership. When I created the Viride brand, the design elements and messaging were something I wanted to hold true to even in product creation. This is why you see the custom colored Viride green glaze and only light touches of the branding through the Vs, which are printed from the logo. Ultimately, the design needed to be subtle and speak to the same demographic that I do in business. The geopipes familiarize you with the brand, but they are crafted to be left out in the open as an accessory— I’d say we nailed it. Next up is a series of luxury accessories that follow suit in their discreet nature.

Forbes: If you could be anywhere in the world where would you be right now? Doing what?

SR: Railay Beach, Thailand, sitting in the sand watching the sun kiss the water. I’d only be passing through, maybe stay for a week to recharge before continuing on my travels non-stop to soak in all the cultures in this world I could with a few people by my side.